Led by Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a delegation of over 34 companies seeks to deepen commercial ties with India through strategic forums and sector-focused initiatives, capitalising on record trade levels and expanding regional influence.
Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry is leading a delegation of more than 34 companies to Mumbai as it seeks to deepen commercial ties with India and turn a fast-growing bilateral relationship into a wider network of business partnerships. The visit comes as Abu Dhabi and India continue to build on the momentum created by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which has helped push trade to record levels and sharpen interest in sectors ranging from manufacturing to financial services.
The delegation is headed by Dr Ali bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, first vice-chairman of Abu Dhabi Chamber, and will take part in the India-UAE Business Forum at The Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai. Abu Dhabi Chamber is organising the event with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry as host partner, alongside the Confederation of Indian Industry and the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The forum is expected to bring together 114 companies from both countries, with a programme built around direct business matching, investment discussions and joint-venture opportunities.
According to the chamber, the timing reflects the scale of the relationship between the two economies. Bilateral trade reached US$101.25 billion in FY 2025-26, marking a second straight year above the US$100 billion threshold, while both countries are still working towards a target of US$200 billion by 2032. The latest forum follows a string of similar efforts: Abu Dhabi and Indian officials used a business forum in Mumbai in 2024 to highlight sectors such as healthcare, biotechnology, renewable energy, logistics and agricultural technology, and Abu Dhabi Chamber also joined a broader business forum in 2025 that focused on deepening trade and investment ties under CEPA.
Dr Al Dhaheri said the chamber sees the Mumbai visit as a way to convert political and economic goodwill into direct commercial deals. He said the aim is to create practical routes for Abu Dhabi companies seeking Indian opportunities, while also helping Indian businesses use Abu Dhabi as a base for regional and global expansion. The chamber said the mission is designed to reinforce the private sector’s role in Abu Dhabi’s international economic relations and to connect local companies with priority markets abroad.
The sector mix on the trip points to where both sides believe the most immediate opportunities lie. Abu Dhabi Chamber said the delegation will focus on manufacturing, food security and agri-tech, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, as well as financial services and fintech. Those priorities mirror the themes that have dominated earlier UAE-India business discussions, particularly in areas where investment, technology transfer and supply-chain resilience are becoming more important.
The chamber’s outreach also reflects the scale of Indian business activity already rooted in Abu Dhabi. As of August 2026, Abu Dhabi Chamber counted 21,085 active Indian member companies. In 2025 alone, it recorded 4,642 new Indian registrations, up 38.8% from a year earlier, while new registrations grew at a compound annual rate of 44.6% between 2020 and 2025. Indian companies in Abu Dhabi span wholesale and retail trade, construction, support services, professional and technical activities, manufacturing, transport and storage, and information and communications.
That growth has been matched by a steady expansion of institutional links. Abu Dhabi Chamber has previously hosted Indian delegations, strengthened its work with the Confederation of Indian Industry and signed an agreement with the UAE-India CEPA Council to widen access to opportunities created by the trade pact. The chamber has also pursued more targeted engagement in India through initiatives such as a youth founders forum in Mumbai in 2025 and a family business roundtable there the same year, underscoring how the relationship now stretches well beyond government-to-government dialogue.
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